Matthew 20:20-28
A Mother’s Request
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus’ has the heart and mind of God…He is meek and lowly of heart…Being famous or being great or the greatest is not important to Him…The disciples at the time of His teaching on serving versus being the greatest were thinking that His Kingdom was one of a place of honor and power…Since they were His disciples they thought that (as man naturally thinks) they would be inheriting or given that power, since they were His disciples…Jesus teaches us that being great is to serve others, as He did...
With this type of thinking, it is not usual to see why a mother, and the loving mother of John and James wants what is best for her sons (as all loving mothers want for their children)…John and James’ mother asks Jesus for a favor…She wants John and James to have the best seats in heaven…She wants their seats to be the closest to Jesus…She wants them to sit at His right and His left…By having the seats closest to Jesus it would show her sons are highly regarded in heaven and have great power and influence over God and His Son in the Kingdom of Heaven…
Jesus tells the mother of Zebedee that she does not know what she even is asking for… Heaven is not like this or what she thinks…Jesus asks her sons if they can drink from the cup that in the future He must drink from…The cup in His time represents suffering… John and James immediately answer, “We can.”…The highest places in heaven are gained and will be taken for those who have suffered the most…These places are gained only through great trials in this life…But Jesus says, nonetheless, that the right are left seats next to Him will be chosen by His Father…God will choose the most honored places in His Kingdom…His Father will give them to He thinks deserves them…He will give His Honored places to whom they are prepared for…
Jesus tells His disciples that they are not to search for these things on earth like riches, honor, and fame, because that is not what God’s Kingdom is all about…His Kingdom is about love, helping others, and serving others…Those who want to be great in heaven must want to serve others while on earth…Even He came not to be served, but to serve and help and teach others these things…He came to give not only great service to others but to die for others…He will die on the cross, and give His life as ransom for many…He will die for our sins, and not His…He committed no sin…
Jesus did not come to honor and add to the fame of the righteous…He came to help the sinner…He asks the sinner to confess and repent –and then to serve others, just as He did and does…